My time has evolved around designing for the people. I’ve worked in both physical and digital landscapes with the sole intentions of improving experiences and creating stories. That being said, I’m notorious for being a terrible, terrible story teller. When I’m telling a story, I’ll go from point A to point C without explaining point B. I’ll get to a punchline or a conclusion and people would wait and listen for more. Probably not the best thing to admit as a designer, but I’ll bite.

To me, design is not just about telling a story, but also creating the grounds for people to create their own stories. This is something that I’ve noticed is universal across all creative fields — the most successful endeavors are those that let people apply themselves within. A design succeeds if people can get from point A to point C without realizing point B ever happened.

For example, there are countless solutions to achieving this in landscape architecture. Trees and shrubs can subconsciously guide users to their destinations while also blocking unsightly views. Benches can be strategically placed to highlight view sheds while providing rest areas for the user. Half walls can be used to create “rooms” within a site while also providing seating for people who ordered food from a nearby food truck.
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While my roots in design were sprouted in landscape architecture, UX design has provided me an outlet to think critically beyond just the physical realm. I’m able craft solutions in what feels like a more concentrated medium where I can focus my attention solely on the user’s experiences. I’m no longer bound by physical limitations and civil engineers — only by coding limitations and software engineers.